Christmas Eve Thoughts

One more day until Christmas!

The tree is decorated, the house is clean (sort of), the gifts are wrapped (mostly), and the grocery shopping is done (not!).

Yesterday should have been the day to complete the gift wrapping and the grocery shopping so that we could spend today finishing the housecleaning and getting dinner ready for the arrival of our daughter and her family tonight. But, as ever, reality intruded.

Leaving out the gory details, let me just say that yesterday began well with final Christmas shopping and a nice visit with our granddaughter (oh, yes - and her parents), and ended with a nice ride in the tow truck that took my utterly inert car on an 11-mile ride from a shopping center parking lot to our local service station, followed by a nice walk home in the chilly mist...all of the which occupied us from just before 5:00 PM until almost 8:00 PM. By that time, of course, all desire to do anything but eat a dinner ordered from the local pizzeria and fall into bed was gone.

And so here I am, at about 5:20 AM. Agnes is still asleep, Punky is snoring on her favorite couch, and I'm blogging instead of cleaning, wrapping the last presents, getting my shopping list ready and girding my loins for participation in two major annual rituals: The Standing In Line With A Million Other People At the Honeybaked Ham Store, and The Hoping I Can Get Out Of the Supermarket With Everything On My List.

Oh, yes - and I do need to take a shower sometime in there, as I probably smell like a goat and look like a hobo.

All of this before our guests arrive around 2:00.

AARRGGHH!!

And so I need to center myself by remembering what all of this is really about (Luke 2: 1-14):

"[1] And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
[2] (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
[3] And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
[4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
[5] To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
[6] And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
[7] And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
[8] And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
[9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
[10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
[12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
[14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

"...and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Unfortunately, this year peace and good will are in shorter supply than we all would like. But, for my part, I wish all of you, my fellow bloggers and those who stumble on these ruminations by accident, a safe, happy, and very Merry Christmas.

Tomorrow, we'll see how it all turns out. For now, I've got to start running like my underwear was on fire.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo